Medicines Optimisation Pharmacy Assistant

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Swindon; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Swindon is seeking a Medicines Optimisation Assistant to join the Pharmacy Team in our acute hospital setting.

You'll support medicines optimisation services across wards, work with pharmacists and nursing staff, contribute to discharge planning and patient counselling. The post includes supervising junior staff, with NHS terms for Band 4 roles. The role note mentions visa sponsorship restrictions.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs or equivalent, including Maths and English, at Grade C or above
• Knowledge of procedures for Pharmacy Services – on the job training, experience to NVQ3 or equivalent
• NVQ Level 2 (Pharmacy Services) or equivalent
• Dispensing accuracy accreditation. South West scheme or equivalent
• Completed PWDS Final Accuracy Checking Programme
• Completed medicines optimisation for support staff training/competency
• Completed or willing to work towards Management and Leadership competencies
• Previous training in the Pharmacy services with a good education and understanding of GD

Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of medicines optimisation services across inpatient wards.
• Ensure patients' own medicines are assessed, managed and utilised appropriately during admission.
• Actively co-ordinate medicines-related discharge processes to facilitate timely and safe patient discharge.
• Monitor discharge prescriptions and liaise with pharmacy, ward teams and prescribers to identify and resolve delays.
• Support the transfer of care process by ensuring accurate communication of medicines changes to patients, carers, community pharmacies and primary care providers.
• Support timely discharges by assisting with medication ordering, dispensing of discharges as part of the discharge planning processes.
• Provide patients with information and support regarding their medicines under the supervision of pharmacy professionals.
• Work collaboratively with pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, nursing staff and medical teams to resolve routine medicines-related issues.
• Support stock management and medicines governance processes within clinical areas.
• Participate in audits, service improvement initiatives and data collection activities.

Education

GCSEs incl. Maths & English

NVQ Level 2 (Pharmacy Services)

PWDS Final Accuracy Checking Programme

Medicines optimisation training/competency

Management & Leadership competencies

Experience in Pharmacy services

Job description

Employer Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Great Western Hospital Town Swindon Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 08/10/2026 23:59

Band 4

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital.

Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.

We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

Job overview

PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY

We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and patient-focused Medicines Optimisation Assistant to join our dynamic Pharmacy Team within our acute hospital setting.

This exciting NEW role will support the delivery of high-quality medicines optimisation services across a range of inpatient wards and clinical specialties. Working closely with pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, nursing staff and the wider multidisciplinary team, you will play a key role in ensuring patients receive safe, effective and timely medicines throughout their hospital journey.

The successful candidate will contribute to medicines management, patient counselling, discharge planning and the promotion of best practice in medicines optimisation, helping to improve patient outcomes and enhance the patient experience. The post holder will also support and supervise more junior staff in the delivery of ward-based medicines optimisation activities.

At the time of advertising, this role does not meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. For this reason, we are unable to sponsor anyone for a skilled worker visa for this role. We are happy to accept applications from candidates who can prove their right to work in the UK or via alternative visa routes. Such applications will be considered alongside all other applications.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will:

• Support the delivery of medicines optimisation services across inpatient wards.
• Ensure patients' own medicines are assessed, managed and utilised appropriately during admission.

Actively co-ordinate medicines-related discharge processes to facilitate timely and safe patient discharge.

Monitor discharge prescriptions and liaise with pharmacy, ward teams and prescribers to identify and resolve delays.

Support the transfer of care process by ensuring accurate communication of medicines changes to patients, carers, community pharmacies and primary care providers.

• Support timely discharges by assisting with medication ordering, dispensing of discharges as part of the discharge planning processes.
• Provide patients with information and support regarding their medicines under the supervision of pharmacy professionals.
• Work collaboratively with pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, nursing staff and medical teams to resolve routine medicines-related issues.
• Support stock management and medicines governance processes within clinical areas.
• Participate in audits, service improvement initiatives and data collection activities.

Working for our organisation

We are proud to be part of BSW Hospitals Group – a formal partnership between Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. With a combined workforce of over 17, 600 colleagues, and budget of 1.6 billion the Group is united by a common purpose to deliver the best possible care to over 1 million people.

We are creating a health and care system that works with the people we care for, reducing the differences people currently face in access, experience and outcomes, improving the experience of our colleagues and tackling shared challenges like sustainability and finances. Every improvement we make across our Group will be guided by what creates the greatest benefit for our colleagues, our patients, our communities and our partners.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See attached Job description and personal specification for full details.

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances, in discussion with the post holder. This role profile is intended to provide a broad outline of the main responsibilities only. The post holder will need to be flexible in developing the role with initial and on‑going discussions with the designated manager.

Person specification

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs or equivalent, including Maths and English, at Grade C or above
• Knowledge of procedures for Pharmacy Services – on the job training, experience to NVQ3 or equivalent
• NVQ Level 2 (Pharmacy Services) or equivalent
• Dispensing accuracy accreditation. South West scheme or equivalent
• Completed PWDS Final Accuracy Checking Programme
• Completed medicines optimisation for support staff training/competency
• Completed or willing to work towards Management and Leadership competencies
• Previous training in the Pharmacy services with a good education and understanding of GD

Experience

• Experience as a hospital pharmacy assistant, or supervisory experience in a community Pharmacy
• Recent practical experience in a busy dispensing environment
• Managing own workload to meet the needs of a service
• Experience of supervising, directing, organising and monitoring performance in a high‑pressured environment
• Experience of leading teams and staff management
• Experience of training individuals

Thank you for expressing interest in this role. For further employer guidance, please review the attached supplementary applicant information.

Certificate of Sponsorship - Sponsorship can only be offered where the role meets the relevant eligibility criteria, including minimum salary requirements. Please note that not all roles within the organisation are eligible for sponsorship. Eligibility for this role includes:

• Current right to work in the UK, subject to verification

Meeting the Skilled Worker visa criteria, where applicable

From 4 April 2024, UK immigration policy changes increased the minimum salary levels required for Skilled Worker visas. Further information is available on the UK Visas and Immigration website.

Current employees should be aware that this position is advertised as a Great Western Hospitals position and appointment ends any TUPE protection.

Candidates are responsible for covering the cost of their own DBS check if required: £21.50 for a Standard DBS check, recoverable from the first pay, or £49.50 for an Enhanced DBS check, divided and recoverable over the initial two pay periods. Payment for DBS checks for bank posts must be settled prior to commencement. Apprentices are exempt from DBS payment.

We are committed to supporting our staff in achieving a healthy work‑life balance through flexible work arrangements. Upon joining the Trust, you have the right to request flexible working, with an unlimited number of requests allowed.

Upon acceptance of a job offer, your information will be transferred to the national NHS Electronic Staff Records System. All communication regarding your application will be conducted via email; please ensure to check your junk/spam folders as emails may occasionally be filtered there.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer; all applicants who have a disability can opt to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme, which means that, providing they meet the minimum essential criteria for the post, they will be offered an interview. We are also proudly accredited as a Veteran Aware organisation and have signed The Armed Forces Covenant.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.